In recent weeks, tech giants have announced a series of new products and features that have stirred not only news feeds but also the digital marketing market.
Today, the announcement of a forecasted decline in Facebook's profits for next year has raised alarms among investors, but at the same time, it makes us question what Mark Zuckerberg and company are planning to once again sidestep negative estimates.
We cannot forget that in the past, Facebook faced a similar situation and bounced back by investing in mobile devices, and the strategy worked so well that currently, mobile accounts for no less than 84% of the company's total advertising revenue. But beyond the uncertainty surrounding Facebook, some bets regarding the future of digital marketing are much more certain.
Check out now 5 digital marketing trends to watch in 2017:
Marketing and Everything for Social
The awakening of political and social consciousness is a growing phenomenon and has impacted all sectors of society. According to reports from Trendwatching, the main driver of this is the crisis affecting Latin America, causing consumers to be more discerning regarding the brands they consume and the positioning of companies in relation to pressing social issues.
The trend is that even if the crisis eases, people will remain engaged and critical of the reputation built by companies, so in 2017, as important as promoting offers will be reinforcing brands by appealing to actions focused on social responsibility. Large corporations have already been doing this, and the bet is that this initiative will become the norm, at least for those who wish to grow and not lose ground to the competition.
Running campaigns in favor of equality and the environment, creating landing pages encouraging donations, adopting institutions, and increasing transparency in business are some actions that can help your consumers create a bond with your brand.
Content Remarketing
Content marketing has been thriving in recent years, and the trend for 2017 is content remarketing. Remarketing, which has been widely used in e-commerce ads to bring customers back to a purchase, gains a new direction in content marketing: instead of directing users back to a purchase page, it directs them to the best content on your site, reclaiming a lead and bringing them back into the consumer journey.
The Dominance of Mobile
Access via mobile devices has become so significant that it has even changed the ranking criteria in search engines; therefore, in 2017, mobile continues to be a trend. If your company wants to gain traffic, conversions, or whatever the goal of your marketing strategy may be, responsiveness will be the keyword.
If You Don't Know What Wearables Are, It's Time to Find Out
Bracelets, glasses, watches—the "technology to wear" or wearable devices are the evolution of mobile technology, and creating apps for these devices is a trend for 2017. Even with consumers still hesitant, it is estimated that the industry sold 171 million units of devices like smartwatches, which should encourage the industry to invest even more in this segment. Apps for wearables can be a good channel to reach a more segmented and tech-savvy audience.
Multichannel Shopping
In 2017, the main market trend will be total synchronization between all communication channels. Websites, social media, and apps should have their own languages but maintain the same identity, and the online experience of the customer should align with the service of the physical store. This is important because next year, the bet is that these channels will work interconnectedly and be part of a single experience. The customer will be able to choose on the website and pick up in the physical store, or interact on the fan page and accumulate discounts that can be used in the online store, for example. The idea is that all channels are a link in the customer loyalty process and generate adherence to the brand.